Apparatus for burying riser pipe

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for burying flexible pipe with attached risers employs a pair of parallel upright plates defining an open-top slot between them. Continuous flexible pipe with attached risers is guided into the slot while the plates move forward longitudinally behind a trench-forming machine, the lower portions of the plates traveling in the trench. Hold-down mechanism in the slot holds the pipe down for subsequent covering with earth as the trench is backfilled. The hold-down mechanism permits the attached risers to pass through the use of a pivoted member having a pair of arms, one of which always overlies a portion of the flexible pipe. An actuator bar connected to the pivoted member is engaged by the risers to swing the member about its pivot to permit passage of each riser between the arms. Also, the pair of plates are pivotally connected to the trench-forming member and power means are provided for swinging the pair of plates to change their angular position.

[ 1 June 13, 1972 APPARATUS FOR BURYING RISER PIPE [72] lnventor: Robert K. Ogle, Shafter, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Shatter Concrete Pipe Co., Shafter, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 165,026

[52] [1.5. CI ..6l/72.6, 47/56 [51] Int. Cl. ..E02f 5/10, F161 1/00, EO3f5/00 [58] Field of Search ..61/72.6, 72.1, 72.3, 72.4,

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,909,134 10/1959 Kniefel ..61/72.6 3,313,115 4/1967 Kniefel ...6l/72.6 3,528,255 9/1970 Blinne ..61/72.6

Primary Eraminer-Jacob Shapiro Attorney-Lyon & Lyon [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for burying flexible pipe with attached risers employs a pair of parallel upright plates defining an open-top slot between them. Continuous flexible pipe with attached risers is guided into the slot while the plates move forward longitudinally behind a trench-forming machine, the lower portions of the plates traveling in the trench. Hold-down mechanism in the slot holds the pipe down for subsequent covering with earth as the trench is backfilled. The hold-down mechanism permits the attached risers to pass through the use of a pivoted member having a pair of arms, one of which always overlies a portion of the flexible pipe. An actuator bar connected to the pivoted member is engaged by the risers to swing the member about its pivot to permit passage of each riser between the arms. Also, the pair of plates are pivotally connected to the trench-forming member and power means are provided for swinging the pair of plates to change their angular position.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures FATENTEDJUN 13 m2 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR 505627/5 0645 PATENTEDJUH 13 I972 3 SHEET 2 n; 2

INVENTOR F056 7 ,6 0646 Era 5. BY

APPARATUS FOR BURYING RISER PIPE This invention relates to apparatus for burying flexible pipe with attached risers so that only the risers project above the ground surface. Devices of this general type are shown in the Kniefel U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,909,134 and 3,313,115, and in the Blinne U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,255. In general, these devices employ a mobile frame with a trench-forming ripper or cutter, together with a pair of upright parallel plates defining a slot between them. Continuous plastic pipe with laterals or risers attached at intervals is guided into the slot between the plates, the risers being held in an upright position by contact with the plates. Hold-down mechanism is provided between the plates to contact the pipe and hold it at a low level so that it emerges at or near the bottom of the trench, the risers standing upright and projecting above the ground level. Backfill apparatus may be attached to the rear of the plates for backfilling the trench.

These prior art devices share the common problem of holding the pipe down at a low elevation while permitting the risers to pass through the hold-down mechanism. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel form of hold-down mechanism which overcomes the difficulties encountered with prior art devices and which is simple and reliable in operation, resists clogging by earth, and which will operate on pipe of varying sizes. This latter feature is highly desirable because a continuous length of pipe may start with a relatively large size pipe, step down to a smaller size, and step down to a still smaller size, the size of the riser pipes remaining constant.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly broken away taken substantially on the lines 3-3 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 44 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 5-5 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are the same as FIG. 4 but showing the operation of the parts of the hold-down mechanism as the pipe riser passes by.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a pair of plates in a tilted position as compared to the position shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the trench-forming carrier generally designated 10 includes a frame 1 1 supported by ground wheels 12. Each ground wheel is mounted on the end of a swinging arm 13 fixed to a cross member 14. Bearings 15 connect the cross member 14 to the frame 11 and a hydraulic cylinder assembly 16 acts through a crank arm assembly 17 to turn the cross member 14 and thereby raise and lower the frame 11 with respect to the supporting wheels 12. The carrier 10 includes a ripper support 18 connected to the frame 11 by means of pins 19. A link 21 pivoted to the support 18 at 22 is also pivotally connected to the crank arm 23 fixed on the cross member 14. The linkage is such that raising of the frame 11 with respect to the ground serves to tilt the support 18 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The cutter or ripper 25 is fixed to the support 18 and is provided with a blade 26 for cutting a trench in the earth. Two upright parallel plates 27 and 28 are connected near the forward ends and are pivotally attached to the ripper 25 by means of the pivot pin 30. The plates 27 and 28 may be swung about the pivot pin 30 by means of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 31 connected at 32 to the support 18 and connected at 33 to an arm 34 fixed to the plate 28. A slotted clcvis 36 engages a pin 37 on the arm 34 to limit the extent of counterclockwise movement of the plates 27 and 28 with respect to the ripper 25. The clevis is fixed to a rod 38 pivotally attached at 39 to the support l8.

The parallel plates 27 and 28 define a slot 41 between them which is open at the top and open at the end remote from the ripper 25. The lower portions of the plates 27 and 28 travel in the trench cut by the ripper blade 26 and prevent earth from returning into the trench.

A continuous flexible irrigation pipe 42 has risers 43 attached at intervals along its length by means of couplings 44. The pipe 42, risers 43 and couplings 44 are preferably formed of plastic material. They are fed through a guide chute 46 on the carrier 10 and travel into the slot 41 between the plates 27 and 28, the risers 43 being held in upright position by the sides of the guide chute 46 and by the inner surfaces of the parallel plates 27 and 28.

Hold-down mechanism generally designated 50 is detachably mounted on the plate 27 within the slot 41. As best shown in FIGS. 3-7, the hold-down mechanism includes a support base 51 secured to the plate 27 by bolt 52 and provided with a foot piece 53 extending between the plates 27 and 28 near the lower edges thereof. A window 54 is provided in the support base 51 and a pivot member 55 is provided with arms 56 and 57 which project through the window. The member 55 is mounted on a vertical pivot pin 58 extending between lugs 59 carried on the support base 51. The member 55 is movable about the pin 58 from a first position as shown in FIG. 4 to a second position shown in FIG. 6. In the first posi-' tion, shown in FIG. 4, the am 57 extends into close proximity to the plate 28 and overlies the pipe 42. The proportions of the parts are such that one of the arms 56 or 57 overlies the pipe 42 at all times.

One end of the actuator bar 61 is pivotally connected at 62 to the swinging end of the arm 57 and the other end 64 of the actuator bar 61 slides through a stationary guide loop 63 fixed to the support base 51. The guide loop 63 holds the free end 64 of the actuator bar 61 in close proximity to the plate 27.

As the pipe 42 with attached risers 43 passes in the slot 41 between the plates 27 and 28, the upstanding riser 43 or the adjacent portion of its coupling 44 contacts the actuator bar 61, as shown in FIG. 4. Continued movement of the pipe 42 and riser 43 causes the riser to move the actuator bar 61 in a direction to swing the pivoted member 55 in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 6. As the pipe 42 and riser continues to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6, the riser 43 or the adjacent portion of its coupling 44 contacts the arm 56 on the member 55, swinging the member 55 back to the position shown in FIG. 7. The cycle repeats each time a riser passes through the holddown mechanism.

As the pipe and risers pass out of the end of the slot 41 remote from the ripper 25, the irrigation pipe 42 lies at the bottom of the trench and the risers 43 extend above ground level. A pair of colters 66 carrier on arms 67 attached to the plates 27 and 28 serve to backfill the earth into the trench to bury the pipe.

In operation, the parts are first moved to the tilted position shown in FIG. 8, by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 31, so that the plates 27 and 28 may follow the ripper 25 as it initially descends into the earth to form a trench. As the carrier moves forward and the length of the trench increases, the cylinder pressure is relaxed to permit the plates to take the position shown in FIG. 1. The limit stop mechanism 37, 38, 39 serves to limit the extent of angular travel of the plates, and this may be adjusted by changing the position of the slotted clevis 36 relative to the threaded rod 38.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the details herein set forth but that my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use with a trench-forming carrier for placing flexible pipe with attached risers in the trench, comprising in combination: a pair of longitudinal upright parallel plates spaced apart to define an open-top slot between them, means whereby the plates may be moved longitudinally by the carrier with their lower portions in the trench, means for guiding flexible pipe with attached risers into the slot, hold-down mechanism mounted on one of the plates and within said slot, said holdedown mechanism including a pivoted member having two arms, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms overlies the flexible pipe and a second position in which the other arm overlies the flexible pipe, and means actuated by the risers for swinging said pivoted member between said positions.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the riseractuated means includes an actuator bar connected to one of said arms and positioned for sliding engagement by said risers.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the actuator bar is pivotally connected at one end to the latter said arm, and wherein means are provided for slidably guiding the other end of the actuator bar.

4. Apparatus for laying flexible pipe with attached risers, comprising in combination: a trench-forming apparatus, a pair of longitudinal upright parallel plates spaced apart to define an open-top slot between them, means whereby the plates may be moved longitudinally in the trench by the trench-forming apparatus, means for feeding flexible pipe with attached risers into the slot, hold-down mechanism mounted on one of the plates and within said slot, said hold-down mechanism including a member having two arms, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms overlies the flexible pipe and a second position in which the other arm overlies the flexible pipe, and means actuated by the risers for moving said member between said positions.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the trenchforrning apparatus includes a wheel supported frame, an earth contacting ripper fixed on the frame to form the trench, means for lowering the frame relative to the wheels, pivotal means connecting the pair of plates to the ripper, and means for adjusting the angular position of the plates about said pivotal means.

6. As a subcombination, for use between parallel upright plates: a support adapted for mounting on a first of the plates, a member having two arms, pivot means mounting the member on said support, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms extends into proximity with the second of said plates and a second position in which the other arm extends into proximity with said second of the plates, an actuator bar pivotally connected at one end to one of said arms, and means for slidably guiding the other end of the actuator bar. 

1. Apparatus for use with a trench-forming carrier for placing flexible pipe with attached risers in the trench, comprising in combination: a pair of longitudinal upright parallel plates spaced apart to define an open-top slot between them, means whereby the plates may be moved longitudinally by the carrier with their lower portions in the trench, means for guiding flexible pipe with attached risers into the slot, hold-down mechanism mounted on one of the plates and within said slot, said hold-down mechanism including a pivoted member having two arms, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms overlies the flexible pipe and a second position in which the other arm overlies the flexible pipe, and means actuated by the risers for swinging said pivoted member between said positions.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the riser-actuated means includes an actuator bar connected to one of said arms and positioned for sliding engagement by said risers.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the actuator bar is pivotally connected at one end to the latter said arm, and wherein means are provided for slidably guiding the other end of the actuator bar.
 4. Apparatus for laying flexible pipe with attached risers, comprising in combination: a trench-forming apparatus, a pair of longitudinal upright parallel plates spaced apart to define an open-top slot between them, means whereby the plates may be moved longitudinally in the trench by the trench-forming apparatus, means for feeding flexible pipe with attached risers into the slot, hold-down mechanism mounted on one of the plates and within said slot, said hold-down mechanism including a member having two arms, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms overlies the flexible pipe and a second position in which the other arm overlies the flexible pipe, and means actuated by the risers for moving said member between said positions.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the trench-forming apparatus includes a wheel supported frame, an earth contacting ripper fixed on the frame to form the trench, means for lowering the frame relative to the wheels, pivotal means connecting the pair of plates to the ripper, and means for adjusting the angular position of the plates about said pivotal means.
 6. As a subcombination, for use between parallel upright plates: a support adapted for mounting on a first of the plates, a member having two arms, pivot means mounting the member on said support, said member being movable between a first position in which one of the arms extends into proximity with the second of said plates and a second position in which the otheR arm extends into proximity with said second of the plates, an actuator bar pivotally connected at one end to one of said arms, and means for slidably guiding the other end of the actuator bar. 